What goes into an NP collaborative agreement?

NPs and PAs' scope of practice is determined by education and experience, much like physicians. That scope is further defined by state law, hospital credentialing, and collaborating or supervising physician agreements. Where nurse practitioners (NP) are not permitted by state law to practice independently, it is important to delineate the NP's scope of practice in a collaborative practice agreement. For physician assistants (PA), a supervisory agreement is utilized to delineate scope of practice. Such written documents are utilized on initial hiring and are often required to be updated annually. These documents outline the relationship between the nonphysician provider and collaborating or supervising physician. They specify the activities that fall within that individual practitioner's scope of practice and include: types of services that can be rendered, such as H&Ps; types of medical conditions that can be treated, with or without physician consultation; whether or not a procedure requires direct or indirect supervision; ordering, performing, and interpreting lab tests; ordering and interpreting ancillary studies, such as x-rays or EKGs; prescribing and managing medications; and performing specific procedures, such as lumbar punctures.

Source: CRC News & Analysis